Flame adjusting device in a burner for alcohol, oil or the like

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the height of flame in a liquid fuel burner having an open top cylindrical wick holder around which an adjusting cylinder member is telescopically mounted for vertical and rotary movement, with a helical rib extending outwardly from said adjusting cylindrical member and having rack teeth on its under surface where the rack teeth cooperating with a pinion mounted on a shaft extending radially from the adjusting cylindrical member and mounted for rotation with a handle at the outer end, the mounting for the rotary shaft having a lug engaging the upper edge of the helical rib so that the adjusting cylindrical member will be positively moved in both vertical directions to control the flame.

United States Patent Yasuda May 16, 1972 Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, .Ir. AuomeyMilford A. .luten [57] ABSTRACT A device for adjusting the height of flame in a liquid fuel burner having an open top cylindrical wick holder around which an adjusting cylinder member is telescopically mounted for vertical and rotary movement, with a helical rib extending outwardly from said adjusting cylindrical member and having rack teeth on its under surface where the rack teeth cooperating with a pinion mounted on a shaft extending radially from the adjusting cylindrical member and mounted for rotation with a handle at the outer end, the mounting for the rotary shaft having a lug engaging the upper edge of the helical rib so that the adjusting cylindrical member will be positively moved in both vertical directions to control the flame,

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FLAME ADJUSTING DEVICE IN A BURNER FOR ALCOHOL, OIL OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to flame adjusting means in a liquid fuel burner such as that using alcohol or oil for cooking foods.

Heretofore various types of flame adjusting devices have been used for controlling the flame of a liquid fuel burner using a wick with some means to vertically adjust the wick or the holder for the wick, and such adjustment has been accomplished by a pinion which engages a wick holder to cause the wick to raise and lower and also to rotate the cylindrical wicks. However, most of these prior art structures have not been entirely satisfactory because of the inclined arrangement of the pinion which engages the wick holder and the structures are not positive in their operation.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art and to provide a flame adjusting cylindrical member which fits outside of the cylinder for holding the wick and is adapted to project upwardly from the body of the burner and the fuel tank thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a positive up and down control for a flame adjusting cylinder which is positive in its operation.

Another object is to provide a rotary shaft for the adjustment which is easily installed and effectively maintained in operative position.

A further object is to provide a rack cooperating with a pinion on the radially extending shaft to accomplish the adjusting.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceeds and upon reference to the accompany drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view of the burner structure on the fuel tank burner body showing the wick supporting cylinder and the vertically adjustable cylindrical flame controlling member.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the flame adjusting cylindrical member.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the flame adjusting cylindrical member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flame adjusting cylindrical member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the U-shaped supporting member for the rotating shaft for carrying the operating pinion and handle.

The burner body A includes a base tank having an upper part 1 and a lower part I with a wick holding cylinder extending upwardly from the center thereof, with the tank body A preferably filled with an absorbent cotton for retaining the fuel.

An inside cylinder 3 is encircled by a wick 5 which is inserted into the holding cylinder 2 and the lower portion of the inside cylinder 3 and wick 5 extend closely adjacent to the bottom of the burner body A to absorb the liquid fuel which is carried to the inside of the cylinder 3 and is sucked in from the absorbent cotton into the wick 5 through a number of small holes 4 extending all over the surface of the inside cylinder 3 which supports the wick 5.

A flame adjusting cylindrical member 6 is telescopically mounted on the upstanding cylinder 2 and carries a rib 7 of inverted L-shape in cross section and extending diagonally or in a helical direction on the outer surface of adjusting cylindrical member 6. A rack 8 on the under edge of the rib plate 7' terminates with stopping members 9 at each end to cooperate with the pinion gear 17 hereinafter described.

A U-shaped supporting member 10 having a front post 11 and a rear post 14 is mounted on the top of the tank A with a bent piece or lug I2 overlying the rib 7, serving as a guide for the rib.

Outwardly opening slots I3 and I5 are cut from the op posite sides of the corresponding posts 11 and 14 to receive the shaft 16.

The shaft [6 is provided with a pinion 17 at its inner end and a handle 18 at its outer end. The rotatable shaft 16 is inserted into the slot 13 of the from post and into engagement with the rack 8 and the rear end of the shaft is inserted into the slot 15 thereby maintaining the shaft 16 in its radial position so that rotation of the shaft causes movement of the rack 8 and vertical movement of the adjusting cylinder member 6.

The adjustment appears to be obvious by rotating the handie 18 and the shaft 16 rotating gear 17 with the lug [2 maintaining the rack 8 in proper gear relation to the pinion I? to produce positive motion of the adjusting cylindrical member in both directions.

The construction of the inclined rack is simple, being made of L-shaped material, and the U-shaped support is simply made from bending strap iron and producing the slots for the bearings and having the slots 13 and 15 extend from opposite directions simplifies the insertion of the shaft 16 and maintains such shafi in position so that the pinion l7 and the rack 18 will be maintained in operative relation with the lug l2 assuring the correct operative positions without lost motion so that accurate control of the flame is obtained at all times.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the specific structure of the invention as defined by the valid scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

I. A flame adjusting device for a burner for liquid fuel comprising a base, an upstanding cylinder mounted on said base for supporting a cylindrical wick member mounted within said upstanding cylinder, an adjusting cylinder telescopingly mounted on said upstanding cylinder for rotary and axial movement, an L-shaped diagonal rib member mounted by one flange on the exterior of said adjusting cylinder, with the other flange spaced from said adjusting cylinder and projecting downwardly and having gear teeth on its lower edge, a U- shaped bracket mounted on said base extending radially from said adjusting cylinder and having shaft receiving openings in the posts thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted in said posts in substantially radial relation to said adjusting cylinder and having a pinion engageable with the gear teeth of said rib whereby rotation of said shaft by a handle in one direction will cause said shaft to move said rib and said adjusting cylinder upwardly to adjust the upper end of said adjusting cylinder with relation to said upstanding cylinder, and a lug on the post of said U-shaped member closely adjacent the adjusting cylinder and engageable with the one flange of said rib opposed to said pinion and co-operating therewith to positively move said adjusting cylinder vertically downwardly upon rotation of said pinion shaft in the other direction.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the shaft receiving opening in one post is a slot opening to one side and the shaft receiving opening in the other post is a slot opening to the other side whereby the shaft can be inserted while the U-shaped member remains flxed on the base.

3. The invention according to claim I in which stops are provided at each end of the rib to limit the motion of the adjusting cylindrical member. 

1. A flame adjusting device for a burner for liquid fuel comprising a base, an upstanding cylinder mounted on said base for supporting a cylindrical wick member mounted within said upstanding cylinder, an adjusting cylinder telescopingly mounted on said upstanding cylinder for rotary and axial movement, an Lshaped diagonal rib member mounted by one flange on the exterior of said adjusting cylinder, with the other flange spaced from said adjusting cylinder and projecting downwardly and having gear teeth on its lower edge, a U-shaped bracket mounted on said base extending radially from said adjusting cylinder and having shaft receiving openings in the posts thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted in said posts in substantially radial relation to said adjusting cylinder and having a pinion engageable with the gear teeth of said rib whereby rotation of said shaft by a handle in one direction will cause said shaft to move said rib and said adjusting cylinder upwardly to adjust the upper end of said adjusting cylinder with relation to said upstanding cylinder, and a lug on the post of said U-shaped member closely adjacent the adjusting cylinder and engageable with the one flange of said rib opposed to said pinion and co-operating therewith to positively move said adjusting cylinder vertically downwardly upon rotation of said pinion shaft in the other direction.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the shaft receiving opening in one post is a slot opening to one side and the shaft receiving opening in the other post is a slot opening to the other side whereby the shaft can be inserted while the U-shaped member remains fixed on the base.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 in which stops are provided at each end of the rib to limit the motion of the adjusting cylindrical member. 